Role of the Producer

What does a producer do? It’s one of the most misunderstood jobs within the film industry, but producers turn creative ideas into a business reality. They are involved with almost every aspect of the film production process, making it an interesting and varied job. It’s a role that combines creativity, business skills, and people management to make films happen.

Whether you want to learn how to produce short films or feature films, or you want to learn what to expect from producers on projects you’re working on, then this is the course for you. Producers work with everyone in the industry, from writers, directors, actors and cinematographers, to financiers, accountants and production managers, to sound designers, editors and post houses, to publicists, distributors and film festivals.

You’ll also have the chance to ask an experienced producer anything you want to know about the role, or the industry more broadly, during the Q&A.

When: Wednesday January 28th at 7:00pm
Where: Online Zoom Video Call
Who: MFJF PRO Members Only
Cost: Free for MFJF PRO Members!

Content

What are the creative requirements to get a film made?
- When is a director and a project “financeable”
- How to put together the right vision and creative team

What are the financial requirements to get a film made?
- How to raise enough money

What are the logistical requirements to get a film made?
- How to put the right team in place to manage the shoot

How does a producer work to harmonise these factors?
- Role of the producer

What are producers looking for in a project?
- How to spot projects which are well balanced in terms of creativity, cost, value, practicality

What are financiers looking for in a project?
- What’s most important, cultural value or commercial value?

Cost VS. Value
- Does the up-front cost justify the value at the other end?

Keeping a creative vision on track
- Has the creative logic been fully tested?
- Which factors are essential to success, and which can be stripped away?

Protecting the product
- How to avoid production pressures or financial pressures damaging the vision

Controlling the costs
- Weighing up how to best use the resources you have
- Helping your team to make difficult decisions

Working with heads of department
- Keeping them motivated and working towards the same goals

Thinking about the audience
- What impact will your decisions have on the end user?

Challenges during production
- Some dilemmas producers often face, and how to resolve them

How to become a producer
- Steps you can take to start producing

How to find a producer
- Ways you might find a producer for your projects

Producing short films VS. producing feature films
- Big-budget producing VS. no-budget producing

Course Leaders

Jack Tarling

Jack Tarling has produced five feature films and many short films through his company Shudder Films; KNEECAP, featuring rap trio Kneecap alongside Michael Fassbender, premiered at Sundance 2024 and sold to Sony Pictures Classics. It was shortlisted for 2 Academy Awards, nominated for 6 BAFTAs (winning Best Debut) and won 7 British Independent Film Awards; GOD'S OWN COUNTRY, which won prizes in 2017 at Sundance, Berlin, Edinburgh, Galway and many other festivals, won 4 BIFAs, including Best Film, received a BAFTA nomination for Outstanding British Film, was the highest grossing UK debut of the year; AWAIT FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS, which was critics pick in the New York Times and sold to Netflix.

Currently in post production for 2026 releases, Jack has produced:

LEARNING TO BREATHE UNDER WATER, directed by Rebekah Fortune and starring Ezra Carlisle, Rory Kinnear and Oscar nominee Maria Bakalova, is financed by Screen Ireland, UK Global Screen Fund, Ffilm Cymru, the Netherlands Film Fund and sold by Bankside.

DAUGHTER OF EDEN, written and directed by Fateme Ahmadi, starring Yasmin Al-Khudhairi, Hiam Abbas, Amir El Masry and Lindsay Duncan, is financed by BFI, BBC Film, Screen Ireland and Civic Studios.

Jack has also line produced several other feature films for the BFI, BBC Films and others, including two which premiered at Venice, and he previously worked in development at Ridley Scott's production company Scott Free. In 2019/2020 he worked to produce an unannounced US-set interactive feature film for Sony Interactive Entertainment

Jack has produced short content for Disney/Hulu, exec produced a slate of ten short films for Northern Film + Media and produced short film ASSESSMENT which was shortlisted for a BAFTA in 2010.

Jack co-founded the Mother Tongues Development Award (in partnership with Curzon, Charades and Intermission) which supports UK-set films told in a language other than English.

Tickets

This workshop is for MFJF Pro Members. To join and participate create your account on MFJF and then upgrade to become a PRO Member.

Eligibility

Any MFJF Pro Member can attend regardless of prior film industry experience or knowledge.

No experience is required, if you are simply curious about a career in film or are a recent film graduate we welcome you to join us.

Please look at our Career Stages Pathways to understand where your experience lies in the grand scheme of things, it will help you navigate and plan your next steps.

These workshops are for Stage 1 and 2 members.